Clay block for paving



no Model.)

J. 0'. ANDERSON. CLAY BLOCK FOR PAVING, 8w.

Patented Mar. 27; 1888.

Wi'fnesses:

- Y U ITED STATES PATENT OFFICE- JAMES C. ANDERSON, OF HIGHLAND PARK, ILLINOIS.

CLAY BLOCK FOR PAVING, 80c.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 379,926,6ated March 27, 1888.

Application filed August 6, 1887. Serial No.24d311. (N model.)

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JAMES C. ANDERSON, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Highland Park, in the county of Lake andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clay Blocks or Bricks for Paving and otherPurposes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in blocks or bricks for paving and other purposes.

The object of my invention is to produce a block or brick for paving purposes from clay, which will be solid throughout, free from warpage, and not liable to be broken by heavy traffic or travel thereon.

My invention consists in making bricks or blocks for paving and other purposes of any desired size from a series of thin or comparatively thin slabs made from dry clay powder under great pressure and uniting or joining these slabs or sections with a vitrifiable material to form the bricks or blocks.

It is well known that dry clay cannot be compressed in large bodies or quantities to a great degree of density, but when pressed in small quantities into thin or comparatively thin blocks or slabs an exceedingly high degree of "density and strength is imparted to them, so that the article when properly burned is not liable to be affected by abrasion,'is not easily broken, and, owing to non-absorptive qualities of moisture, remains practically unaffected by the frost.

Bricks'or blocks for paving purposes, as heretofore made from clay, have been either so porous as to absorb alarge percentage of water, thus causing the granules of clay to rapidly separate or disintegrate under the travel of vehicles or the action of the frost, or else they have been vitrified by intense heat, so that the surface of the roadway will be so slippery as to endanger life and limb.

Referring to the drawings,Fignre 1 is a view in perspective of a block or brick for paving and other purposes. Fig. 2 is asectional view of the block shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a hollow block madein accordance with this invention. Fig. etis a sectional view of a paving-block in which the slabs or sections 'up of a series of small slabs a.

composing the same are beveled at their upper edges, so as to form a roughened or uneven surface to prevent horses from slipping. Fig. 5 is a top or plan view of several of the blocks shown in Fig. 4: as laid in the roadway.

A indicates a block or brick for paving orother purposes, made up of a series of thin slabs or blocks, a, said slabs being made of dry pulverized clay, under great pressure, which thoroughly compacts or solidifies the clay, so that the size and number of the pores are, reduced tothe minimum and the strength of the blocks increased as against the ordinary way of molding blocks from damp or wet clay.

The blocksA may be made of any desired size or configuration, and,as before stated, are

composed of a series of slabs or blocks, a, secured together by any suitable vitreous material which will fuse in the burning, thus causing the slabs to unite firmly together and form the solid block A.

The blocks A may be formed prior to or at the timethey are set in the kiln. The only precaution necessary is to place the desired number of small slabs or blocks together with the vit rifiable material 0 between the1n,and then subject them to avitrifying or burning heat,which not only burns the block to the desired hardness, but also fuses the material used in cementing the .blocks or slabs together.

Theblocks A may be provided with conical holesformed in the sides thereof for holding hydraulic or other cement, which holds or maintains the blocks in position on the roadbed, as shown and described in Patent No. 220,693, granted myself and J. Greenawalt, October 21, 1879.

In Fig. 3 I have shown a hollow block made This form of block may be used to advantage in certain 10- cations, and under certain circumstances is much more readily handled and is more easily burned.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I have shown the tops of the sectionsa beveled off at b, which when placed together in the block form gutters or depressions, and when these blocks are laidas indicated in Fig. 5-6. 6, with the small grooves running in the direction of the roadway and transversely thereto, alternately-4t will form a sure and safe surface and thus presuch as described, joined together by a vitreous or vitrifiable material, as set forth.

2. A block for paving and other purposes, :5 composed of a series of clay slabs or blocks joined together by a vitreous material, said slabs being beveled at their edges to form grooves or depressions, as set forth.

In testimony whereof Iaffixmy signature in 20 presence of two witnesses.

J. C. ANDERSON.

Witnesses:

J. O. ,CUSHMAN, JNo. D. ONDERDONK. 

